The Record of a Fallen Soldier
by Ezra Scarlet
Summary: Naruto was a monster. Naruto was the one who ravaged the lands and laid it to waste. When peace was at the threshold, he took it in his mighty grasp and crushed it whole.-"The united shinobi nations recognize that there is only one solution. The extermination of one Uzumaki Naruto."
1. Prologue

Note: Slanted text means it is either a memory, inner thought, or there is emphasis on that word.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

0o0

The rain fell from the heavens, opening up and swallowing all. It fell, leaving what would be reminiscent of tear tracks in it's wake.

Tsunade couldn't help but think how appropriate the weather was. For this was not a day of happiness, nor joy. No, this was a day of broken hearts and tears. The rain scattered and fell above them, little dirt puddles forming, and a misty darkness spreading out across the village.

Hands behind her back, she observed the village from her view point. The window in which she looked out from was fogged over with mist, distorting the image. But even without the clarity of sight, Tsunade knew what she would see.

A dirt road running from the Hokage's tower in which she occupied, stretching out across the village. Tiny stalls dotting the side of the road. People bustling about, scrambling for cover from the rain. Shinobi darting out across the rooftops, heading towards their next mission. The Hokage mountain to her left, marking herself and her predecessors.

_Oh Sensei. Was it like this for you as well, back then? Did you feel this insistant knot in the pit of your stomach? Did you feel like you had just taken multiple punches to the gut? _

But the stone edifice that was the Sandaime's face did not answer her. With a small, choking sob, Tsunade threw the scroll which she had been clutching tightly in he hands across the room. But the flying projectile lacked the force that it usually would have possessed, bouncing harmlessly off the wall and falling to the ground, unraveling as it did. Three signatures were scrawled across the bottom of the page. Two blank spaces remained. But it did not matter. The majority had already signed off on the order.

Tsunade's only solace was that they would be hating themselves as much as she did at the moment. But deep down, she understood why they had to. Their hands had been forced, and Tsunade knew that if they had only given it a few more months, she would've signed off on the order as well.

What he had done, what he was continuing to do. It couldn't be alowed to go on. With a flare of her chakra, three figures appeared in the room, steady and ready. Aching tiredness rested in their bones, something that had become more and more common among her soldiers these days.

With her back to them, hands once more clutched behind her back, she addressed them. Her breath may have caught for a second, but if it was it was instantly disguised by a steely, bitingly sharp edge. Unwavering and determined, Tsunade spat out what she wished were not true.

"The Five Kages have decided. The vote was split, but in the end, a decision was made. His actions throughout the past year and a half have left us with no choice."

The soldiers behind her tensed at her words. They knew that it had been a long time in coming. But the until now, the reality of the situation had failed to sink in.

"The united shinobi nations recognize that there is only one solution. The extermination of one Uzumaki Naruto."

A cold silence settled over the room. No one spoke. No one dared even breath. Then, one by one, all three men flickered out of the room.

If they had stayed any longer, they would have witnessed their fearless leader fall to the ground, and cry.

0o0

Hope you enjoyed the prologue. This story is based heavily on the manga "A Record of a Fallen Vampire." I just added my own touch to it. If you've read the whole entire manga, then you'll no doubt be able to guess what this fanfic will be about. If not, then enjoy the ride. Its going to be a long and sad one.

Please review! I am really in need of them lately!


	2. Move Out

Note: Slanted text, _like so, _means it is either a flashback/memory, inner thought, or there is emphasis on that word.

0o0

_For those of us not burdened with such troubles, be kind. It is not for us to judge how others carry theirs._

_-anon_

0o0

Sasuke leaped from rooftop to rooftop, Kakashi and Shikamaru at his side. All three had discarded their previously donned masks, leaving them to hang loosely around their necks. And any other time, Sasuke would've adjusted the mask, annoyed by it's constant thumping against his chest.

This was not any other time.

"Sasuke," came Shikamaru's grunt from his left.

Sasuke cast a glance at Shikamaru, whose head twitched left, indicating a small crowd of people that had gathered in the Village square. With a sigh, Sasuke gave a nod of thanks to Shikamaru, and bolted to the ground, so as to land in the middle of the small crowd.

Shikamaru and Kakashi followed closely behind, no other indication of their presence other than the slight dislodging of dust. The babble that had previously encompassed the small area abruptly came to a halt. One person broke apart from the rest.

One of Sasuke's biggest surprises upon returning to the village had been just how much Akamaru had grown in the short span of three of so years. But if he had thought the beast looked frightening before (Not that he had ever said that out loud) the thing was practically monstrous now, with raised hackles and bared fangs. On it's bristled back sat Kiba, whose hand was bunched tightly into the back of Akamaru's fur. Sasuke wasn't quite sure if that was so as to keep his grip, or if Kiba was simply trying to channel some of his anger into something less destructive. He suspected a little bit of both.

Personality wise, Kiba hadn't changed all that much over the years. He was still rowdy, loud, and impulsive. However, even with his misfortunes, he was one of the most loyal people Sasuke had ever had the fortune to come upon. Too bad he hadn't taken notice of this before his defection.

However, it was not Kiba's personality that drew most people in, nor was it his feral smile or boisterous laugh. At least, not anymore. Now, all that anyone ever saw was the long, twisted scar that covered half his face, ending at his lip, causing said lip to be slightly lopsided. The scar was made up off three long strokes, and was raised up out of skin.

But that was a story for another day. Besides, Kiba wasn't the only one with scars, thought Sasuke grimly, his hand giving a small twitch.

"So!" Kiba barked, sounding for a moment like the dogs he breaded, "What did they say? Was a decision made?"

Kiba wasn't the only one desperate for answers. Behind him stood the rest of Sasuke's classmates and (He hoped) friends. All with the same stormy look, as if preparing themselves for an oncoming blow.

Sasuke simply gave them all a solemn nod in return.

If possible, their faces grew even more jaded, and a small growl was heard from Akamaru's mouth. It was Neji who broke the silence.

"Well then," he spoke, his voice so soft, yet everyone heard it, "You all know what to do."

Without waiting for another word, the group broke off. Sasuke watched them leave, only Neji remaining, and felt a pang in his chest. He hated seeing them all gathered together, the people that he had thought alongside with through Academy, being a Genin, and finally War, because it was at times like these when the fact the they were two short hit him the hardest.

"Neji" Kakashi said, finally speaking up, "I want you and three others to go out and collect any information you can on Naru-

"No." Sasuke cut him off.

Shikamaru, Kakashi, and Neji all stopped to look at him, Kakashi with a raised eyebrow. Shikamaru shoved his hands in his pockets roughly, shoulders sagging.

"What," he said, "Do you have a better plan? We can't walk into this blind, Sasuke. We need to gather information before we-"

"No." Sasuke said again, his eyes glued to the toes of his boot, scuffing his heels in the dirt, before continuing.

"I mean, yes, we should gather information, but no. What you were about to call him. That's not his name."

Pitying glances might have been thrown in his direction, (with these three, who knew?) but Sasuke ignored them.

"Sasuke," Kakashi began again, slowly, as if trying to comfort a wounded child, "You can't deny it forever. The facts are irrefutabl-"

"That's not what I meant!" Sasuke tried not to let the anger enter his voice, but needless to say, he most likely failed. Sasuke looked into their eyes, and knew that they wouldn't understand. Hell, he hardly understood it himself. All he knew was that for some reason, this small thing was important.

_He felt as if all the breath had left him, and now he was somewhere between death and eternal damnation. But just as quickly as feeling left him, it was back. Collapsing to his knees, Sasuke's wide eyes took in a scene he would, weeks later, obsessively try to convince himself he hallucinated._

_Naruto knelt with with his back to Sasuke, head bowed. In his arms, lay Sakura, her pink head-full of hair blossoming out around her, trying to make way for Naruto's hands which gently caressed her head, and her legs stretched haphazardly. It was clear to Sasuke, judging by the vacancy of her emerald eyes and the non-existent sound of breathing, that she was dead. _

_"Na-Na-Naruto! What happened!?" Sasuke managed to croak out between the grief and tears. _

_Naruto flinched, obviously having been unaware of Sasuke's presence. If Sasuke thought the situation could not possibly get worse, he was dreadfully, dreadfully wrong._

_Because as Naruto half turned so as to look at him, Sasuke was able to make out the Kunai embedded in Sakura's chest. But it wasn't the the blossom of red blooming across the already red fabric of her dress that made Sasuke stop, nor was it the tortured and utterly frightened expression that adorned Sakura's face. _

_It was the hand, clothed in orange, attached to the kunai. _

_Sasuke's wide, disbelieving eyes met Naruto's, and what he saw there would torment him for the rest of his life. For, where there was usually a gleaming blue, haloed in love and life, now sat a psychotic, crazy edge, that threatened to devour Sasuke whole. _

_"Ah, Sasuke." Naruto all but drawled. "How nice of you to stop by."_

_"Na-Na-Naruto? Wha-what's-"_

_But Sasuke didn't get to finish his sentence, because next thing he knew, Naruto all but towered over him, his grin seeming to stretch out across his face, his eyes gleaming maddeningly._

_"Honestly, it really was nice of you to stop by. Save's me the trouble of finding a messenger, you see?"_

_No, Sasuke thought, he didn't._

_"You tell them," Naruto said (But was it Naruto? It couldn't be, could it? Naruto was nothing like this crazed, deranged man in front of him. Nothing) "that I'm sick and tired of their shit. That bitch over there" Naruto pointed to Sakura, "and the other one I killed before, they were a little present. A little taste of what's to come."_

_Sasuke couldn't comprehend what he was hearing (and yes, even though he had outright admitted it, Sasuke still refused to believe it). He saw the evidence right before his eyes, but he couldn't comprehend. _

_"Tell them, that the Ichi-Hiki Okami is coming. And I don't care who it is that I have to kill. All I want is for everyone, EVERYONE, to have a little taste of what I went through my entire life."_

_Sasuke knew he should be fighting, shouting, calling for help even. But he was rooted to the spot, his brain trying desperately to process everything. _

_Naruto's head tilted slightly to the side, so as to give him the impression of studying a rather interesting specimen._

_"Remember that, Sasuke," Naruto now all but whispered, his voice soft, for once since their conversation started, sounding like the Naruto Sasuke (thought) he knew. "You tell them what I said, you hear me? And you tell them my name. No more of this 'Fishcake' crap. You tell them my name, and you make sure they remember as well."_

_And then, with eyes shadowed by the morning sun, Naruto dissapeared, leaving Sasuke to mourn for not only his dead team mate, but his fallen brother as well. _

Sasuke turned away from the three figures, trying desperately to put some kind of distance between himself and this messed up situation.

"He is the Ichi-Hiki Okami, not our friend. And not a shred of mercy will be spared for him."

And with a leap and a hop, Sasuke left the Village square.

0o0

Translation: "Ichi-Hiki Okami" translates (I think) to "Lone Wolf. But if that's not correct, than please tell me. I got that translation from Google so I'm not 100% sure. There is, without a doubt, some grammar/spelling mistakes that I no doubt missed. I'm sorry for this, I hope the chapter was enjoyable all the same.

A/N Hope you liked it. Please be sure to send me a review!


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